Fourteen new National Masters champions crowned

Following four days of intense action, fourteen new British National Masters champions were crowned at the Northern Squash Club in Didsbury.

Of the 17 finals played across as many age categories, the stand out game came in the MO45 group where it was a heated battle of brothers.

MO45

Identical twins Nick and Rob Staunton went head-to-head in the explosive final of the MO45.

Nick, who beat the No.1 seed in his semi-final was pushed to the limit in the opening two games narrowly winning both by two points.

It took its toll as Rob, ranked 5/8, responded with an 11-8 victory in the third.

The match became increasingly heated as the brothers battled for every point, but it was Rob who clinched the fourth 12-10 to set up a decider.

With the gruelling match already over an hour long, the tie looked to be over as Nick took a 6-0 lead in the last game.

However, Rob dramatically fought back, moving within two points of victory at 9-7, but it was Nick who found the extra inch finally winning 11-8.

He becomes the new MO45 National Masters champion taking the match 12-10, 12-10, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8 in 71 minutes.

“I played two years ago and got beat quite well,” said Nick after the match, “So I’m really happy, it means a lot.”

When asked how it felt to beat his brother in the final he replied: “I’d much rather it be somebody else, over the years we go through our phases, I beat him, he beats me and I’m just in the winning phase.”

MO80

Patrick Kirton, the reigning champion and the only man to ever win the MO80 faced off against John Woodliffe in the final.

Kirton, whose first of 17 masters titles came in 1982, looked under pressure early on as Woodliffe, the no. 2 seed won the first game.

However, Kirton drew on his many years of experience to stage a fightback against the 3-times masters winner and take the match 9-16, 15-8, 15-8, 15-12 in 30 minutes.

He becomes an 18-time masters title winner and has won the MO80 title twice in as many years.

MO75

2017 champion Adrian Wright faced a challenge from 3/4 seed William Wilson in the MO75 final.

Wilson, the 2013 MO70 champion, had other ideas and dominated the match winning 15-6, 15-6, 15-9 in just 23 minutes to be crowned National Masters MO75 champion for the first time.

MO70

Following his victory over the No.1 seed yesterday, 3/4 seed Philip Ayton was not as fortunate against the No.2 seed Barry Featherstone.

The 2017 champion had it all to do after losing the first game 15-10, as he strove to retain his title.

A close second game saw nine-time champion Ayton slowly pull ahead but with the score 13/8 in his favour he had to retire injured.

This handed the title to Featherstone as he became a four-time Masters champion.

MO65

No. 1 seed John Goodrich squared off against last year’s runner-up Terry Belshaw in the MO65 final.

Belshaw was in fine form taking an early 2-0 lead before Goodrich rediscovered the form he had been showing all week

In a closely contested third game Goodrich emerged victorious and never looked back.

Games four and five came and went with the No. 1 seed proving up to his rank by winning both 15-9.

From 2-0 down, Goodrich took not only the match but the title 7-15, 9-15, 15-13, 15-9, 15-9.

MO60

Whatever the outcome, the MO60 would see a new champion being crowned in a final between the top two seeds.

However, Bradburn drew level after a comprehensive 15-5 victory in the second, but Barwise was too skilful and he won the last two games 15-10, 15-7 respectively to become MO60 champion for the first time.

MO55

2-time MO55 champion Mark Woodliffe looked set to make it three in three as he faced 5/8 seed Greg Loach in the final.

Loach played valiantly in the first two games, but it was Woodliffe who claimed the victory.

A 3-0 (12-10, 14-12, 11-5) win sees Woodliffe be crowned champion for the third time in as many years.)

MO50

On paper a battle between the top two seeds in the category should be a close affair, not so in the MO50.

No 2 seed David Youngs made quick work of his higher seeded opponent Yawar Abbas, winning the match 3-11, 4-11, 3-11 in just 15 minutes.

This meant that 4-time champion Abbas took the runners-up position for the second year in a row and Youngs earned his first MO50 title.